Edmond verstraete



(No Model.) i

E. VERSTRAETE.

TROLLEY WHEEL AND BEARING. I No. 544,471. I I Patented Aug. 13,1895.

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Magi 4% lfiv'ezzaz ,1 C [Wk M/Mz UNITED STATES- PATENT O FICE.

EDMoND VERSTRAETE, on ST. Lou s, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOERNEST c. BRUCKMAN AND SAMUEL E. BRUGKMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

, TRIOLLEY WH EEL AND BEARIN SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 544,471, dated August, 13 1895.

Application filed November 22, 1894- Serial No. 529,633. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcern:

.Be it known that I, EDMOND VERSTRAETE, a citizen of the United States,residing atSt; Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements inILrol ley Wheels and Bearings; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact doscription of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part ofthis specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a journal bearing in whichcarbon is employed as the bearing-surface, and relates specifically toan improvement in trolley-wheels, whereby the shaft or spindle of thewheel is seated in and bears upon a surface of baked carbon.

My invention consists in the construction of a j ournal-bearing of bakedcarbon, whereby the friction of the bearing-surfaces is materi allyreduced and the consequent wear minimized.

My invention consists, further, in the combination of the trolley-wheelhaving a shaft or axle, a trolley-pole having a bearing-box on its upperend, and a lining or bearing of baked carbon mounted in said box andadapted to receive and support the said shaft or axle in bearing-contacttherewith.

My invention consists, further, in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, hereinafter set forth, pointed outin my claims,and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is aside elevation of a complete trolley-head embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a sectional elevation of the bearing-box on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3.Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional elevation on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cap for the bearing-box. Fig. 5 is a planview of the bearingbox with the cap removed. Fig. 6 is a sectionalelevation showing my device adapted for common journal-bearings.

In the construction of the device as shown, the numeral 10 designates atrolley-pole having a bifurcated upper extremity comprising arms 11 12,to the outer ends of which arms are integrally fixed boxes 13 14, whichboxes are independent of each other. The boxes 13 14 are mounted intransverse alignment with each other, and their adjacent faces areprovided with slots 15 16 respectively, which slots are approximatelyelliptical in elevation.

Mounted in each of the boxes 13 14 and in contact with the outer wallthereof is a plate '17 of vulcanized fiber, whereby longitudinalmovement of the wheel-shaft is prevented and an antifrictionnon-conducting bearing for the ends of said shaft is provided. Thisconstruction is desirable to prevent flow of current through the ends ofthe axle-shaft and thereby prevent binding and friction at body of bakedcarbon 18, in the upper surfaceof which carbon body is formed a concavedseat; the two concaved seats being adapted to receive and support theopposite end portions of a shaft or axle 19, which shaft is seatedtherein by a downward movement through the slots 15 16, respectively,the ends of said shaft abutting against the vulcanized fiber-plates 1717. Mounted on the shaft or axle 19 is a trolley-wheel 20 of commonform. Each of the boxes 13 14 is provided with a cap-plate 21, Fig. 4,having a concaved notch 22 in its lower face aligning with the concavedseats in the baked carbon and located, when the device is complete,aboveand out of contact with the axle 19, thus providing that the axle 19does not contact with the said caps, thus lessening the contact-surfaceof the axle and carbon bearings and providing for such wear of thecarbon as will pro- Vide for a perfect contact of the axle therewith atall times.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6 the numeral 23 designates the lowermember of a in contact with the line conductor by the IOC trolley-standresilience, the bearing-surface of the axle must at all times be againstthe carbon body, by this means materially reduc ing the friction of saidaxle and lessening the wear of the bearing; and axle, thus lengtheningthe life and usefulness of the trolley wheel.

I have found a carbon bearing-surface to be highly efficient in allpositions where means may readily be provided for confining the carbonbody in such a manner as to provide that the journal will be in constantengagement therewith, and have found that at all times the said carbonbody resists wear to a high degree and extends a minimum amount offriction to the rotation of the journal.

Experience has demonstrated that when a trolley-head is so constructedas to permit of a flow of the current through the ends of thetrolley-shaft into a bearing in contact therewith the attraction of thebearing for the shaft is such as toimpede the free revolution of saidshaft and add materially to the friction of the contact, which result Ihave avoided in the use of the fiber plates 17 17, which plates alsoprovide antifriction lateral bearings of great efficiency for saidshaft. I have also found that the resilience of the trolleystand,exerted against the resistance of the overhead conductor, presses thetrolley-shaft against the lower members of the bearings in which itrotates, and the current will flow in sufficient quantities through theportion of said shaft below the axis thereof, and therefore I have cutaway the caps of the bearings forming notches 22 22, and thereby lessenmaterially the friction of the shaft by reducing its bearing-surfacewithout reducing its diameter. 7

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described a journalbox, acarbon journal bearing mounted in said box,a vulcanized fiber platemounted in said box,a shaft mounted in said box resting on said carbonand abutting against said vulcanized fiber plate, whereby flow ofcurrent through the ends of said shaft is prevented, and a cap confiningsaid shaft Within said box.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of the pole 10,the arms 11, 12 on said pole, boxes 13, 14 fixed to said arms,vulcanized fiber plates 17 vertically positioned in said boxes, carbonbearings 18 mounted in said boxes and having open-topped bearing seatstherein, a shaft 19 mounted for retation in the seats of said carbonbearings and abutting against said plates 17, a trolley wheel 20 mountedon said shaft 19, and cap plates 21, mounted on said boxes 13, 14, whichcap plates 21 have notches 22 in their lower faces so shaped thatsaidcap plates are out of engagement with said shaft, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDMOND VERSTRAE'IE.

Vitnesses:

S. 0. SWEET, CHARLES PIcxLEs.

